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Mystical Mountain Magic #1
Deceiver
Revised edition.
Catastrophic events are woven into an allegorical story about an enchanted land suddenly thrown into chaos. Set in early North America, foreign explorers in search of gold and the fountain of youth discover more than they bargained for: Leira, the Deceiver who’s crafted in gems and walks on three legs; giant eagles who guard Elysium Valley, and Igneous, the zany caretaker of the mountain, who nurtures millions of living-stones within the corridors of a magical volcano named Misty.
As explorers create mayhem on this continent, an infant girl – Mariah – is rescued and raised by the eagles and is commissioned by the mountain to restore Hope to a world without hope and save mankind from its disastrous effects before the Deceiver can assassinate her.
Whether you fly on the backs of eagles, float inside gigantic bubbles, sail through crashing waterfalls, or experience the power of the living-stones, you can be assured—you’re in for a fast-paced, emotional ride.
Where it all began, where it all will end
- Mystical Mountain Magic –
Catastrophic events are woven into an allegorical story about an enchanted land suddenly thrown into chaos. Set in early North America, foreign explorers in search of gold and the fountain of youth discover more than they bargained for: Leira, the Deceiver who’s crafted in gems and walks on three legs; giant eagles who guard Elysium Valley, and Igneous, the zany caretaker of the mountain, who nurtures millions of living-stones within the corridors of a magical volcano named Misty.
As explorers create mayhem on this continent, an infant girl – Mariah – is rescued and raised by the eagles and is commissioned by the mountain to restore Hope to a world without hope and save mankind from its disastrous effects before the Deceiver can assassinate her.
Whether you fly on the backs of eagles, float inside gigantic bubbles, sail through crashing waterfalls, or experience the power of the living-stones, you can be assured—you’re in for a fast-paced, emotional ride.
Where it all began, where it all will end
- Mystical Mountain Magic –
- GenresFantasy
238 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2012
5 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
Guy Brooke
8 books13 followersGuy Brooke grew up fascinated with the lyrical words of songs. How could he, too, manipulate such emotions? After years of writing 100 plus songs, producing two self-published music albums, crafting and directing three original musical plays, and conducting five guitar concerts through San Juan College in Farmington, New Mexico, it proved to be easy for him to cross over into colorful rhyming stories for children and young adult fantasy novels. Guy loves life, loves the young, and loves to write. Residing in Naches, Washington with his wife, Barbara, Guy wishes to continue manipulating words for the young readers until carpal tunnel takes its toll :)
Web site:
www.guybrooke.com
Web site:
www.guybrooke.com
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 29, 2015
A compelling story with enchanting characters, this one. I wasn't sure what to expect when this book was offered to me, but it exceeded my expectations. The story line was captivating, the characters inventive and the imagery imaginative. Fantasy today, while written well, tends to be so dark, that it's difficult to imagine wanting your child immersed in this world. But this book, while not fluffy, had a message of hope that made it stand out from other fantasy of today. In a world where darkness prevails, hidden truths bring light to the reader, and left them feeling hopeful. Comparisons can also be drawn between this book and other allegories if reading between the lines.
"Go to both beast and man. Simply tell them about me. Tell them that I am alive, that I care, and that I am watching over them. Tell them I do not lie or deceive them, but that I am truth."
While not subtle, it's much needed and refreshingly straight forward it its message.
My 7-yr old is currently reading Harry Potter, but when he's done, he's already looking forward to reading Deceiver and I'm curious how he'll like it in comparison. This is a book I have no qualms about letting my child read and wish there were more out there like this. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series.
"Go to both beast and man. Simply tell them about me. Tell them that I am alive, that I care, and that I am watching over them. Tell them I do not lie or deceive them, but that I am truth."
While not subtle, it's much needed and refreshingly straight forward it its message.
My 7-yr old is currently reading Harry Potter, but when he's done, he's already looking forward to reading Deceiver and I'm curious how he'll like it in comparison. This is a book I have no qualms about letting my child read and wish there were more out there like this. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series.
August 8, 2022
Awesome Indies Book Awards is pleased to include DECEIVER (MYSTICAL MOUNTAIN MAGIC #1) by GUY BROOKE in the library of Awesome Indies' Seal of Excellence recipients.
AIBA Book of the Week: 8 August, 2022: 173/42034
AIBA Book of the Day: 28 May, 2021: 173/42034
Original Awesome Indies' Assessment (4 stars):
The world has become a harsh and hopeless place, and the only hope for it lies in the mountain of Misty.
In the forests around Misty live two refugees and their baby girl who will play a key role in the mountain's plans. Yes, the mountain has plans, along with his unusual friend. The natives who live at the base of the mountain and even the animals will all play a part in the plan, because a terrible creature has invaded their home. With its beautiful, haunting song it will lead them to destruction purely for its own enjoyment. This monster and its unknown plans threaten to destroy the only chance for hope in to return to the world.
Deceiver is a delightfully whimsical story, reminiscent of a Native American folk tale. The vibrant characters drew me in and pulled me through a story that kept me guessing what could possibly happen next. With so many reboots and formulaic novels out there, it is really refreshing to be able to enjoy a story that keeps me wondering.
I especially enjoyed the character of Misty. Seldom have I read about a living mountain and I loved to hear how Guy brought a geological formation to life. And he certainly did!
Aside from a little bit of poetry that worried me a little, this story had everything I could ask for. The story is written as the beginning of a series, not so much a stand-alone story. The ending made me impatient to see how the characters fare after their fantastic adventure, so I am excited to read and review the second book next.
I received this book free of charge from the author in return for an honest review.
AIBA Book of the Week: 8 August, 2022: 173/42034
AIBA Book of the Day: 28 May, 2021: 173/42034
Original Awesome Indies' Assessment (4 stars):
The world has become a harsh and hopeless place, and the only hope for it lies in the mountain of Misty.
In the forests around Misty live two refugees and their baby girl who will play a key role in the mountain's plans. Yes, the mountain has plans, along with his unusual friend. The natives who live at the base of the mountain and even the animals will all play a part in the plan, because a terrible creature has invaded their home. With its beautiful, haunting song it will lead them to destruction purely for its own enjoyment. This monster and its unknown plans threaten to destroy the only chance for hope in to return to the world.
Deceiver is a delightfully whimsical story, reminiscent of a Native American folk tale. The vibrant characters drew me in and pulled me through a story that kept me guessing what could possibly happen next. With so many reboots and formulaic novels out there, it is really refreshing to be able to enjoy a story that keeps me wondering.
I especially enjoyed the character of Misty. Seldom have I read about a living mountain and I loved to hear how Guy brought a geological formation to life. And he certainly did!
Aside from a little bit of poetry that worried me a little, this story had everything I could ask for. The story is written as the beginning of a series, not so much a stand-alone story. The ending made me impatient to see how the characters fare after their fantastic adventure, so I am excited to read and review the second book next.
I received this book free of charge from the author in return for an honest review.
January 1, 2013
Didn't know what to expect from this world where a 3 legged creature roams, but was very pleasantly surprised! The characters are well defined in this North American country. This book sets up the details of what's ultimately coming in book 2. It gave me a good ride, held my interest and kept me guessing. I actually cared about the characters enough to laugh, cry and be angry with them. The creature was a great tease throughout the whole story as well. With only glimpses here and there it kept me wondering what in the world this thing was that stalks this living mountain (that's right, this mountain is alive with an eyeball and all). I was glad that book 2, Redeemer, gives a very satisfying reveal of this fascinating villain. You'll find these books aren't necessarily centered on this creature but on foreign characters, the mtn animals, a girl raised by giant eagles, the mountain and his companion Igneous, and a primitive society affected by what the creature does. There's also some symbolisms weaved in and out that didn't get in the way of the story but I found interesting in their correlations. Well worth the read especially tagging it in with book 2.
October 2, 2015
Deceiver is a rich fantasy in the tradition of C.S. Lewis. The writing is fast paced, engaging, and alternates between tender and appropriately raw to captivate a young adult audience. Raw, yet not crude like so many contemporary YA novels.
I'm enjoying reading the novel to my 7 year old as much as he enjoys hearing it. My 13 year old finished in in a few days and is already half way through Redeemer (the next book in the series).
What I like the most is that the story feels real in the same way a good legend feels real. The good characters suffer and die. Evil grows stronger, recruiting the weak and desecrating the strong. Fell deeds are done. Hope is diminished, but not (yet) lost. And she will emerge triumfant again before the end.
I'm hooked. Redeemer, here we come...
I'm enjoying reading the novel to my 7 year old as much as he enjoys hearing it. My 13 year old finished in in a few days and is already half way through Redeemer (the next book in the series).
What I like the most is that the story feels real in the same way a good legend feels real. The good characters suffer and die. Evil grows stronger, recruiting the weak and desecrating the strong. Fell deeds are done. Hope is diminished, but not (yet) lost. And she will emerge triumfant again before the end.
I'm hooked. Redeemer, here we come...
October 2, 2015
Deceiver is a captivating story with many surprising twists, but it all comes together in the end making it one of the best books you may ever read. It is full of excitement and you just can't put it down once you have started.
February 9, 2015
This book is an unbelievably inventive and plot twisty sort of epic fantasy that is at once peculiar, original, fresh, and fun.
Deceiver begins with the 'Wahooo!' of Skye, a settler to someplace unburdened with the history, greed or machinations of typical expansionist European empires, and his near-death ascension to the summit of Misty, the sentient mountain. Along with Misty, Skye also has the unique opportunity to meet Igneous, the forthright, yet cheerful caretaker beneath the mountains. He quickly gets a crash course in saving the world, and then literally gets a crash course in leaving Misty. Near death again, Skye needs to save the Anasazi village before their chief, Bending Tree, succumbs to his injuries.
Conflicts abound in Deceiver, both from without and on the mountain… eventually pandhandlers come seeking Misty's riches while some malevolent force terrorizes Misty's inhabitants with sweet song and a rotten heart.
Chief among Deceiver's virtues is a beguiling ability to get the reader into the action from the word go. Using a somber, yet oddly hopeful and cheerful tone reminiscent of another generation, the author brings us to a world where hope is an endangered species, but the most important species of all, and where humor breaks out from unexpected places, like shafts of light on a cloudy day. Readers begin to feel the sort of Bradbury-like power of the author to evoke moods and emotions with seeming ease.
Characters are strongly written, beginning with Skye and proceeding on to the native Anasazi people, along with the naïve yet wise, funny yet ages-old Igneous, and later Toby and Erikson, who play dual roles as villains and comedy relief, an interesting mix. Later, even Mariah and her caretakers each have their unique voices and culture.
This tale is brimming with magic in a loosely defined age of exploration world (though there is a pretty sweet map), and yet this is far from the traditional sword and sorcery tale. Deceiver begins with promise, delivers, and transforms into something else entirely in just a few hundred pages. Yet throughout, the same tones and subtext run just beneath the surface, binding three separate acts together into a strong unified whole. Another reviewer likened this to a Native American folk tale, and I'll echo that apt observation here.
If there are any critiques to be made about the book, the first is that it seems rather full of thick vocabulary and sentence structures for a YA audience. The second is that the book, as part of a trilogy, eschews a resolution to the climax. Though a minor resolution does occur, there doesn't seem enough of a recovery or 'falling action' or whatever one might call it. And while the Deceiver itself is undeniably a part of the book, and an important one, its role is only just ramping up by the end of the book.
The good news is that you don't have to wait for the continuation of the tale. Redeemer, book 2, is already available.
Deceiver begins with the 'Wahooo!' of Skye, a settler to someplace unburdened with the history, greed or machinations of typical expansionist European empires, and his near-death ascension to the summit of Misty, the sentient mountain. Along with Misty, Skye also has the unique opportunity to meet Igneous, the forthright, yet cheerful caretaker beneath the mountains. He quickly gets a crash course in saving the world, and then literally gets a crash course in leaving Misty. Near death again, Skye needs to save the Anasazi village before their chief, Bending Tree, succumbs to his injuries.
Conflicts abound in Deceiver, both from without and on the mountain… eventually pandhandlers come seeking Misty's riches while some malevolent force terrorizes Misty's inhabitants with sweet song and a rotten heart.
Chief among Deceiver's virtues is a beguiling ability to get the reader into the action from the word go. Using a somber, yet oddly hopeful and cheerful tone reminiscent of another generation, the author brings us to a world where hope is an endangered species, but the most important species of all, and where humor breaks out from unexpected places, like shafts of light on a cloudy day. Readers begin to feel the sort of Bradbury-like power of the author to evoke moods and emotions with seeming ease.
Characters are strongly written, beginning with Skye and proceeding on to the native Anasazi people, along with the naïve yet wise, funny yet ages-old Igneous, and later Toby and Erikson, who play dual roles as villains and comedy relief, an interesting mix. Later, even Mariah and her caretakers each have their unique voices and culture.
This tale is brimming with magic in a loosely defined age of exploration world (though there is a pretty sweet map), and yet this is far from the traditional sword and sorcery tale. Deceiver begins with promise, delivers, and transforms into something else entirely in just a few hundred pages. Yet throughout, the same tones and subtext run just beneath the surface, binding three separate acts together into a strong unified whole. Another reviewer likened this to a Native American folk tale, and I'll echo that apt observation here.
If there are any critiques to be made about the book, the first is that it seems rather full of thick vocabulary and sentence structures for a YA audience. The second is that the book, as part of a trilogy, eschews a resolution to the climax. Though a minor resolution does occur, there doesn't seem enough of a recovery or 'falling action' or whatever one might call it. And while the Deceiver itself is undeniably a part of the book, and an important one, its role is only just ramping up by the end of the book.
The good news is that you don't have to wait for the continuation of the tale. Redeemer, book 2, is already available.
June 11, 2015
Deceiver was an incredible read. Very rarely am I able to actually divert from the breakneck speed of the work week and attempt to even find a good book, much less stumble onto a gem like this. I am still in awe of how captivated I was by a teen fantasy novel! As I began to lightly nibble at the first couple of chapters, I found myself connecting with the first character, Skye, and his young family. But it did not take long for the "fantasy" aspect to commence as he is whisked away in a climate-controlled bubble; thus beginning his adventure. You are also introduced to the relationship between the two "behind-the-scenes" characters; that being Misty and Igneous. One is in charge while the other is the support. The start of this novel rolls out a lot of background leaving much to the imagination in terms of setting a physical scene; but as each new piece is discovered, it is described in vivid detail giving you a feeling of actually being there and even whincing at the pain each character
goes through; both emotional and physical. I can say that sadness and anger gripped me tight through many pages; never leaving me wanting but only yearning to devour page after page to discover what would happen. It took me three days to lightly read the first four chapters; on the fourth day I put my own reality in the back of my mind and tore through the other nineteen in a few hours. I was drained from the investment my heart put into this book. There is joy and heartbreak, deception and redemption, leaving you with more than just a longing to read the next
book; there is an aching to do so; like the ache I had for many pages to reach into the book and strangle Toby if he blessed the King one more time. (Don't worry you will feel too) I highly recommend this read as it is very smooth and flowing and also keeps your attention as each part unfolds. I despise Erikson by the way. Just thought I would throw that in there. Anyways, a great read from a new author! Cheers Guy for a great start to a series; I cannot wait to start the next one.
goes through; both emotional and physical. I can say that sadness and anger gripped me tight through many pages; never leaving me wanting but only yearning to devour page after page to discover what would happen. It took me three days to lightly read the first four chapters; on the fourth day I put my own reality in the back of my mind and tore through the other nineteen in a few hours. I was drained from the investment my heart put into this book. There is joy and heartbreak, deception and redemption, leaving you with more than just a longing to read the next
book; there is an aching to do so; like the ache I had for many pages to reach into the book and strangle Toby if he blessed the King one more time. (Don't worry you will feel too) I highly recommend this read as it is very smooth and flowing and also keeps your attention as each part unfolds. I despise Erikson by the way. Just thought I would throw that in there. Anyways, a great read from a new author! Cheers Guy for a great start to a series; I cannot wait to start the next one.
November 8, 2018
It took a few chapters for me to really get into this one but by the end I could hardly put it down. I'm looking forward to starting the next book.
February 1, 2021
This was a good read! I loved the concept!
May 26, 2022
Very well written. I quite enjoy how the plot progresses and the characters were very interesting. Though not in my usual genre, I would definitely read this again!
November 6, 2023
This is a such a unique adventure! It feels like a western but also full of magic and mystery. I couldn’t put the story down, the characters are deep and story is beyond enticing. Guy Brooke pulls no punches with his depiction of humanity. The cruelty, the love, depression and hope. There is not a character I didn’t love or loath. This is not just a battle between good and evil, this digs deep to your own core yet still takes you on a journey love, loss, adventure, and magic!
June 11, 2015
I read this book from Smashwords.com but thought I'd share my review here too!
This was a very exciting book full of fantasy, fun and adventure! I love the eccentric but very lovable guardian of the mountain, and surprisingly I really liked the humor between Erickson and Toby too (the 2 bad guys), Bless the king ;)
I loved how the author used some great imagination throughout the book; stones that have a healing liquid inside of them, large 6 foot eagles caring for a young orphaned human girl, and the craziest, creepiest mysterious villain ever!
I felt like I was sucked into the book, almost like when the characters saw visions inside of the blue liquid, it was like I was there bobbing around in huge bubbles, riding the ginormous eagles and plummeting down waterfalls along with them.
Great story, great author. I can't wait to read Redeemer and see how Mariah is going to help bring back Hope and figure out what Liera has up her silver sleeves! I wonder if there's going to be a whole series coming out like the Lion Witch and the Wardrobe? If so, I'll take one of each please :)
Merged review:
I read this book from Smashwords.com but thought I'd share my review here too!
This was a very exciting book full of fantasy, fun and adventure! I love the eccentric but very lovable guardian of the mountain, and surprisingly I really liked the humor between Erickson and Toby too (the 2 bad guys), Bless the king ;)
I loved how the author used some great imagination throughout the book; stones that have a healing liquid inside of them, large 6 foot eagles caring for a young orphaned human girl, and the craziest, creepiest mysterious villain ever!
I felt like I was sucked into the book, almost like when the characters saw visions inside of the blue liquid, it was like I was there bobbing around in huge bubbles, riding the ginormous eagles and plummeting down waterfalls along with them.
Great story, great author. I can't wait to read Redeemer and see how Mariah is going to help bring back Hope and figure out what Liera has up her silver sleeves! I wonder if there's going to be a whole series coming out like the Lion Witch and the Wardrobe? If so, I'll take one of each please :)
This was a very exciting book full of fantasy, fun and adventure! I love the eccentric but very lovable guardian of the mountain, and surprisingly I really liked the humor between Erickson and Toby too (the 2 bad guys), Bless the king ;)
I loved how the author used some great imagination throughout the book; stones that have a healing liquid inside of them, large 6 foot eagles caring for a young orphaned human girl, and the craziest, creepiest mysterious villain ever!
I felt like I was sucked into the book, almost like when the characters saw visions inside of the blue liquid, it was like I was there bobbing around in huge bubbles, riding the ginormous eagles and plummeting down waterfalls along with them.
Great story, great author. I can't wait to read Redeemer and see how Mariah is going to help bring back Hope and figure out what Liera has up her silver sleeves! I wonder if there's going to be a whole series coming out like the Lion Witch and the Wardrobe? If so, I'll take one of each please :)
Merged review:
I read this book from Smashwords.com but thought I'd share my review here too!
This was a very exciting book full of fantasy, fun and adventure! I love the eccentric but very lovable guardian of the mountain, and surprisingly I really liked the humor between Erickson and Toby too (the 2 bad guys), Bless the king ;)
I loved how the author used some great imagination throughout the book; stones that have a healing liquid inside of them, large 6 foot eagles caring for a young orphaned human girl, and the craziest, creepiest mysterious villain ever!
I felt like I was sucked into the book, almost like when the characters saw visions inside of the blue liquid, it was like I was there bobbing around in huge bubbles, riding the ginormous eagles and plummeting down waterfalls along with them.
Great story, great author. I can't wait to read Redeemer and see how Mariah is going to help bring back Hope and figure out what Liera has up her silver sleeves! I wonder if there's going to be a whole series coming out like the Lion Witch and the Wardrobe? If so, I'll take one of each please :)
November 30, 2013
Deceiver is filled with intrigue, adventure, mystery and fantasy. My favorite character was Igneous the caretaker and gardener of the mountain. He's a rock that speaks, creates, and is the comic relief in all of this. The story starts with a family of three, Skye, his wife and daughter settling into the valley next to Misty the mountain. Skye goes on a wild adventure one day, and learns about the living stones. But through unfortunate events the daughter, Mairah is left orphaned to be raised by the eagles (6 foot tall ones) on Misty, and her destiny is to become the queen of the mountain. The writing was solid in this book, but I struggled to be emotionally connected with the story and frankly did not care what happened to the characters. This may be, because for the first 2/3rd of the book the main heroin of the book is a baby or is growing up, and it's difficult to engage with a main character through the eyes of other characters. The other irritating aspect was, is that there were too many different point of views all crammed into one chapter. Although they were clearly separated, it was never apparent to me, why it was necessary to keep switching between the point of view. For me, the story really only picked up about half way through the book, with Mairah leaping off an eagle into a waterfall. I would have liked to see the book start there, as much of the back story set things up for Mairah, but could have been dealt with instead Mairah learning about her past, which she does by the way, and its so repetitious from the first half of the book. Overall a good book, but the execution of the story line, and character development was lacking. As for family friendliness, I would rate this a 5 out of 5, totally appropriate for kids to read, if their able to stay focused and engaged.
March 7, 2014
Deceiver was a great read for me. It is clearly geared for the Young Adult audience with the plot moving quick and no dead space that you often find in long novels. Any teen or young adult would enjoy this book. The author uses unique ways of viewing the story. It almost felt to me like he wrote it the way a director would a movie, using cinematography, only autotography instead...i guess you could call it. It's almost cutting edge for writing to go that way then the typical way a book would be laid out. He does so by changing perspectives even on the same page which keeps the reader intrigued. I could totally see it done on the big screen. So be careful to follow along but it's not hard once you see what he is doing.
The characters were lovable or easy to hate/despise. The main characters are Misty (an active and alive volcano) and his companion Igneous ( a zany Rock Guardian who underneath his cooky personality loves creation with his whole heart and desires for things to be set right.) The world in Mystical Mountain Magic is set at unrest with Hope nearly lost. Misty and Igneous are searching for The One who will set the world back into balance and reinsert Hope back into the world. It's the aftermath of a Pandora's box effect. Evil and greed are ravaging and not much of the innocent pure world is left. It keeps you on your toes the entire time.
The mystery character is so sinister and insights so much fear, I as a reader am afraid to find out what this "Deceiver", that walks on three legs, will do in the next book.
Over all Deceiver was a great ride full of mystery, intrigue, sorrow, joy and lovable characters. I really can't wait to get into the 2nd book Redeemer to find out what happens next.
Happy Reading!
The characters were lovable or easy to hate/despise. The main characters are Misty (an active and alive volcano) and his companion Igneous ( a zany Rock Guardian who underneath his cooky personality loves creation with his whole heart and desires for things to be set right.) The world in Mystical Mountain Magic is set at unrest with Hope nearly lost. Misty and Igneous are searching for The One who will set the world back into balance and reinsert Hope back into the world. It's the aftermath of a Pandora's box effect. Evil and greed are ravaging and not much of the innocent pure world is left. It keeps you on your toes the entire time.
The mystery character is so sinister and insights so much fear, I as a reader am afraid to find out what this "Deceiver", that walks on three legs, will do in the next book.
Over all Deceiver was a great ride full of mystery, intrigue, sorrow, joy and lovable characters. I really can't wait to get into the 2nd book Redeemer to find out what happens next.
Happy Reading!
January 11, 2015
The world has become a harsh and hopeless place, and the only hope for it lies in the mountain of Misty.
In the forests around Misty live two refugees and their baby girl who will play a key role in the mountain's plans. Yes, the mountain has plans, along with his unusual friend. The natives who live at the base of the mountain and even the animals will all play a part in the plan, because a terrible creature has invaded their home. With it's beautiful, haunting song it will lead them to destruction purely for its own enjoyment. This monster and its unknown plans threaten to destroy the only chance for hope in to return to the world.
Deceiver is a delightfully whimsical story, reminiscent of a native American folk tale. The vibrant characters drew me in and pulled me through a story that kept me guessing what could possibly happen next. With so many reboots and formulaic novels out there, it is really refreshing to be able to enjoy a story that keeps me wondering.
I especially enjoyed the character of Misty. Seldom have I read about a living mountain and I loved to hear how Guy brought a geological formation to life. And he certainly did!
Aside from a little bit of repetitive sentence structure and poetry rhythm that worried me a little, this story had everything I could ask for. The story is written as the beginning of a series, not so much a stand-alone story. The ending made me impatient to see how the characters fare after their fantastic adventure, so I am excited to read and reviewing the second book next.
In the forests around Misty live two refugees and their baby girl who will play a key role in the mountain's plans. Yes, the mountain has plans, along with his unusual friend. The natives who live at the base of the mountain and even the animals will all play a part in the plan, because a terrible creature has invaded their home. With it's beautiful, haunting song it will lead them to destruction purely for its own enjoyment. This monster and its unknown plans threaten to destroy the only chance for hope in to return to the world.
Deceiver is a delightfully whimsical story, reminiscent of a native American folk tale. The vibrant characters drew me in and pulled me through a story that kept me guessing what could possibly happen next. With so many reboots and formulaic novels out there, it is really refreshing to be able to enjoy a story that keeps me wondering.
I especially enjoyed the character of Misty. Seldom have I read about a living mountain and I loved to hear how Guy brought a geological formation to life. And he certainly did!
Aside from a little bit of repetitive sentence structure and poetry rhythm that worried me a little, this story had everything I could ask for. The story is written as the beginning of a series, not so much a stand-alone story. The ending made me impatient to see how the characters fare after their fantastic adventure, so I am excited to read and reviewing the second book next.
January 27, 2015
Mystical Mountain Magic: Book one, Deceiver by Guy Brooks is an unusual book that takes a mountain, a rock being, and eagles as characters as well as human beings and weaves them into a tale of loss, love and honour. Brooks is a fresh voice in the literary world, and he has produced a unique book that is not only delightfully magical and mystical but is also, after an extensive re-edit, very well written.
The book does take some risks in that the story switches to a different main character half way through and parts of the story are told again from a different view point, but it's the beginning of a series and, as such, I felt that it worked.
Though aimed at young people, as in all good tales, the book has layers of meaning, making it readable by all ages.
I received this book free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review. The review was updated on the 7th of January 2015 after a reappraisal following line editing.
The book does take some risks in that the story switches to a different main character half way through and parts of the story are told again from a different view point, but it's the beginning of a series and, as such, I felt that it worked.
Though aimed at young people, as in all good tales, the book has layers of meaning, making it readable by all ages.
I received this book free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review. The review was updated on the 7th of January 2015 after a reappraisal following line editing.
March 17, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Deceiver is the first book in the Mystical Mountain Magic series, and is an epic YA fantasy. It has lots of mythical and mystical characters, as well as magic, and is reminiscent of early North American history. I love the way the mountain came to life with the characters of Misty and Igneous. Dialect has been used skilfully to show different cultures and nationalities, and this gave the story an authentic feel. The pacing and world building are both done well, and the plot is a good one. The story is told from third person perspective, and changes from character to character, and each change has its own section or chapter. The author has an eye for description, and I feel he has a lot of potential as a fantasy writer. I look forward to reading book 2 in the series.
Deceiver is the first book in the Mystical Mountain Magic series, and is an epic YA fantasy. It has lots of mythical and mystical characters, as well as magic, and is reminiscent of early North American history. I love the way the mountain came to life with the characters of Misty and Igneous. Dialect has been used skilfully to show different cultures and nationalities, and this gave the story an authentic feel. The pacing and world building are both done well, and the plot is a good one. The story is told from third person perspective, and changes from character to character, and each change has its own section or chapter. The author has an eye for description, and I feel he has a lot of potential as a fantasy writer. I look forward to reading book 2 in the series.
October 26, 2017
Interesting Children's Fable???
I really don't understand where the author was going, unless this book was intended as a children's fable with strong moral elements. I will review it as such, although I did not see anything describing the book as a children's fable.
Strong warnings against greed and theft dominate the story of human child Mariah, her eagle mother, the sentient mountain Misty, and an Indian tribe. An orphaned child is adopted and raised by a tribe of huge mountain eagles. The characters live on the sides of a sentient volcano, known as Misty. Almost unique, in that, although I have read many fables, this story is a very long story involving several main characters.
I really don't understand where the author was going, unless this book was intended as a children's fable with strong moral elements. I will review it as such, although I did not see anything describing the book as a children's fable.
Strong warnings against greed and theft dominate the story of human child Mariah, her eagle mother, the sentient mountain Misty, and an Indian tribe. An orphaned child is adopted and raised by a tribe of huge mountain eagles. The characters live on the sides of a sentient volcano, known as Misty. Almost unique, in that, although I have read many fables, this story is a very long story involving several main characters.
December 6, 2022
Author Guy Brooke's Deceiver is an original YA allegorical fantasy filled with unique, but endearing, characters. This is the first book of a trilogy. The plot moves quickly to surprising and seriously unexpected places. Like, "yell at the book," places. But I think Mr. Brooke's greatest strength lies in his descriptive writing style. The vivid word-pictures he creates are stunning and complete, and flow like poetry. A screenwriter will have to do little to make this into a movie--which I would expect to happen.
May 4, 2016
An original captivating story full of descriptive action and imaginative characters. So much can happen with a magical volcano, a huge living rock named Igneous and an orphaned human girl who has been raised by eagles. It's a great story written for 5th-8th graders. I appreciated that there was no bad language or sex. There was some violence, but compared to the graphic violence found in today's dystopias, it wasn't bad. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
September 24, 2015
I love the imagery that the author uses. It really draws you into the story.
August 20, 2014
I really enjoyed this book because it had a lot of creativity, interesting characters and great characteristics. One of my favorite things about it was the style of the writing, it was just the way he wrote it made me want to read it instead of telling myself that I have to finish it, rather than I wanted to. My favorite part was when the Eagles were trying to make an outfit for baby Mariah who was also my favorite character. The only negative thing was when I started to read this book I was't sure it would be very interesting because it was a little slow at the beginning, and that eventually passed when i couldn't stop reading.The style and the genre of the book should really appeal to fiction/fantasy lovers.
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